Yanks have a rotation decision: Burnett No. 2 starter
A.J. Burnett will be the Yankees’ No. 2 starter and Phil Hughes is the No. 3 starter, Joe Girardi confirmed today.
Girardi said that it was their plan all along to have Burnett following CC Sabathia in the rotation, but they wanted to use the spring to evaluate the pair of right-handers.
“It’s what we brought him here to do,” Girardi said of Burnett, who was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA last season for New York.
Burnett lines up to make his first start April 2 against the Tigers at Yankee Stadium; Hughes follows him the next day against Detroit.
Earlier in the day, Burnett said he’d accept whatever decision was made.
“It shows they have faith in what they brought me here to do,” Burnett said. “Either way, just give me the ball.”
- The Yankees have sent Andrew Brackman and Dellin Betances to Minor League camp. Brackman will start the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; Betances will begin at Double-A Trenton.
- Russell Martin was in New York’s original lineup today but Girardi decided to rest him after he took a beating catching Burnett’s four innings yesterday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, starting Austin Romine instead. Martin is fine physically and will catch Sabathia tomorrow against the Phillies in Clearwater.
- Ivan Nova will pitch a simulated game tomorrow at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
- In case you’re looking ahead, Manny Banuelos will pitch on Monday against the Rays in Port Charlotte behind Bartolo Colon.
- As I sit here in the press box writing this blog post, Dante Girardi is taking batting practice off his dad. He belted one homer into the right-field party deck (OK, so he’s hitting with a metal bat from shallow right field. Still, that’s not bad for 8 years old!).
Bryan Hoch
